Midlands State University Lecturer in the Department of Applied Biosciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Gregory Dowo, was one of the nine Zimbabwean faculty members who participated in the six-week Zimbabwe Emerging Faculty Development Program (ZEFDP) at the State University of New York (SUNY) and University at Buffalo (UB) in the United States of America.
Held from the 6th of June to the 15th of July 2023, the program was organized by the U.S. Embassy in Zimbabwe, in partnership with the Institute of International Education (IIE) and UB, SUNY, which strengthened the capacity of Zimbabwean higher education institutions and developed the skills of emerging faculties to advance the country’s higher education system.
Mr. Dowo expressed his satisfaction at the insights gained from the workshop as they were very informative and relevant.
“I hope to maintain and expand my network of contacts and collaborations with American counterparts and peers, as well as with other Zimbabwean faculty members who participated in the program since I believe such exchanges and partnerships can enhance the quality and impact of higher education in both countries,” he remarked.
Mr Dowo also emphasised that he was impressed by the quality of education and research at SUNY and UB, as well as the diversity and inclusivity of the campus community.
One of the highlights of the program for Mr. Dowo was working on a research project with his mentor, Professor Raymond Cha, a Clinical Associate Professor in the Center for Integrated Global Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo and his other mentor, Professor Stanley Schwartz, a UB Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Paediatrics and Division Chief of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology at the University at Buffalo.
Mr Dowo’s project involves setting up a collaborative research group on ethnopharmacology between Zimbabwean institutions and SUNY Buffalo and has so far resulted in a research grant submission to the US Embassy in Zimbabwe.
Other institutions represented in the ZEFDP were University of Zimbabwe, Harare Institute of Technology, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Gwanda State University, Manicaland University of Applied Sciences and National University of Science and Technology.
The program was coordinated by SUNY distinguished Professor of Pharmacy Practice and GIBS Director, Gene Morse and the Director of the University of Zimbabwe Centre of Excellence in Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Charles Maponga.